Save the date video with RSVP: should you ask guests to reply?

A save the date video tells guests to keep your wedding day free, and the invitation that follows is where they formally RSVP. For most weddings, leave the full RSVP off the save the date. If you need an early sense of numbers, add one light question such as "Do you think you can make it?" and keep the formal reply for the invitation.

What is a save the date video?

It's a short video sent months before the wedding. It gives your names, the date and the place, and tells guests an invitation will follow. Couples make them from engagement photos, a phone clip of the two of them or an animated design from Canva or Etsy. Fifteen to thirty seconds is enough.

Sent as a page instead of a file, a save the date does more than play. Guests can add the date to their calendar in one tap, see a countdown and open the city or venue on a map.

Should you ask for an RSVP on a save the date?

Usually no. Months out, many guests can't say for sure. Asking twice, once now and once with the invitation, also leaves people unsure which answer counts.

There are times an early question helps:

• Your guest list is longer than the venue you're looking at
• Many guests would need flights or a long drive
• You're holding a block of hotel rooms and need a rough count
• The wedding falls on a holiday weekend

For a wedding abroad, see our guide to destination wedding save the dates and early RSVP.

If you do ask, word it as early interest and say a formal invitation will follow. Then guests know their answer isn't final, and nobody feels committed before they've seen the details.

How do I add a soft RSVP to a save the date video?

Switch RSVP on and use one of your two custom questions as a yes or no: "Do you think you can come?" Leave out meal and plus-one questions. Those belong on the invitation, once your plans are set.

Guests reply with their name. You can also ask for a WhatsApp number, which helps if you'll message guests later about hotels or travel. Every answer lands on your dashboard, where you can export the list.

What should a save the date video include?

• Both your names
• The date
• The town or city, and the venue if it's booked
• "Invitation to follow"

Leave out the full schedule and the gift list. They make the video longer and may change before the invitation goes out. The calendar button and countdown on the page do the job of reminding guests, so the video can stay short.

When should a save the date go out?

For a wedding close to home, six to eight months ahead is common in the US and the UK. For a holiday weekend or a wedding with a lot of travel, eight to twelve months gives guests time to book. The formal invitation then follows about two months before the day.

Everyone who gets a save the date should get an invitation. Send them only once your guest list is firm.

How long does a save the date page stay online?

A save the date goes out months early, so the page has to last. A paid CardToPage page stays online until 14 days after your last event date, so the link keeps working all the way to the wedding. The free version takes one image card and is hosted for 30 days, which is too short for a save the date. The paid page with your video is a one-time payment.

If the venue is confirmed after you send the save the date, edit the page. The link stays the same, so everyone who has it sees the update. Text inside the video won't change, so check the video carefully before you send it.

How do I make a save the date video page?

1. 01Upload the video Add your save the date as an MP4.
2. 02Add the date and place Enter the date and the city or venue, and pin it on the map if it's booked.
3. 03Choose a theme Pick the colors and backdrop around your video.
4. 04Decide on RSVP Leave it off, or switch it on with one yes or no question.
5. 05Publish and share Send the link by text, email or WhatsApp, and print the QR code if you're also mailing cards.

For a walkthrough of the real app, see how it works.